Racing in the UK

specialgueststar

OK not strictly pro - but even cyclists don't all pull in the same direction :roll:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQK_dPAxMuk

adr82

What the f*ck... what is it exactly about getting on a bike that leads some people to believe nothing on earth can be allowed to make them come to a standstill? When that moron in the blue striped top meandered down the middle of the road just as a big bunch came round the corner I was almost afraid to watch :shock:

Edit: just watched it again, there are so many infuriating things about these idiots - "Can we go yet?" @ 1:36, when they've been stopped for a matter of seconds, then they just ride on through anyway :roll:

Pross

Not great marshalling there at the start, just dragging a sign out into the road in front of a car on what appears to be a fairly blind bend. Then again I think we are spoiled a bit in my part of the world with accredited marshalls and NEG.

tuneskyline

Here is a chart I knocked up

tailwindhome

So is the road closed or not?

Surely if the road isn't completely closed to traffic then the riders in the race shouldn't be crossing the white line?

specialgueststar

Vagaries of British scene

Wiggins Froome Cavendish Dowsett Fenn Yates x 2 Swift etc

and yet grass roots is treated as an embarrassment . You are right the road is not closed - it is left to a guy in a high viz to make the decision.

Richmond Racer

TailWindHome wrote:

So is the road closed or not?

Surely if the road isn't completely closed to traffic then the riders in the race shouldn't be crossing the white line?

At a junction like that with a 90 degree left hander, and with the appropriate level of police escorts and marshalling etc, both sides of the road after the left hand turning would be closed for that section, surely

cookiemonster

TailWindHome wrote:

So is the road closed or not?

Surely if the road isn't completely closed to traffic then the riders in the race shouldn't be crossing the white line?

Depends.

If they are "Accredited Marshals" then they have the legal right to close the road (see here http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/raceeducation/article/rac20130313-race-education-Support-cycling-in-your-community---volunteer-as-a-British-Cycling-Accredited-Marshal-0 )

If they are not Accredited, then the marshals are just acting in an advisory capacity, in which case the race shouldnt be crossing the road (or at least have no more right to cross the road than any other road user) and the sportive riders have the legal right to carry on

jon

specialgueststar

cookiemonster wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

So is the road closed or not?

Surely if the road isn't completely closed to traffic then the riders in the race shouldn't be crossing the white line?

Depends.

If they are "Accredited Marshals" then they have the legal right to close the road (see here http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/raceeducation/article/rac20130313-race-education-Support-cycling-in-your-community---volunteer-as-a-British-Cycling-Accredited-Marshal-0 )

If they are not Accredited, then the marshals are just acting in an advisory capacity, in which case the race shouldnt be crossing the road (or at least have no more right to cross the road than any other road user) and the sportive riders have the legal right to carry on

jon

Racing in the UK! It says Yorkshire Divs but Im not sure -hope they sort it for the Tour

1. Dean Downing,
2. Adam Duggleby,
3. Tom Stewart,
4. David Shackleton,
5. Jake Tanner,
6. John Tanner,

Pross

cookiemonster wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

So is the road closed or not?

Surely if the road isn't completely closed to traffic then the riders in the race shouldn't be crossing the white line?

Depends.

If they are "Accredited Marshals" then they have the legal right to close the road (see here http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/raceeducation/article/rac20130313-race-education-Support-cycling-in-your-community---volunteer-as-a-British-Cycling-Accredited-Marshal-0 )

If they are not Accredited, then the marshals are just acting in an advisory capacity, in which case the race shouldnt be crossing the road (or at least have no more right to cross the road than any other road user) and the sportive riders have the legal right to carry on

jon

I'm not sure if it has changed this year but previously only Wales and Essex had CSAS accredited Marshall schemes in place. I believe there's some kind of requirement that accredited marshalls have to be employees of an approved organisation so in Wales they are 'employees' of Welsh Cycling.

Pross

Richmond Racer wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

So is the road closed or not?

Surely if the road isn't completely closed to traffic then the riders in the race shouldn't be crossing the white line?

At a junction like that with a 90 degree left hander, and with the appropriate level of police escorts and marshalling etc, both sides of the road after the left hand turning would be closed for that section, surely

They won't have police on a divisional champs, it costs too much. They didn't seem to have many bikes at all from that clip.

mm1

"Sportive" and divs on the same stretch of road at the same time? The nodders seem to have numbers, so one has to assume they were in an organised event. Shambles! Sometimes I think that the sport becoming "popular" might not be so great after all.

Pross

Looked more like some sort of charity ride, sportives normally have handlebar numbers. Unless it's a BC sanctioned event the race organiser probably wouldn't have known about it. A race I recently organised had a sportive running the opposite direction (on a straight section of road) and I was asked by Welsh Cycling to liaise with the organiser to ensure no conflict (I let the organiser know but got no response!).

gsk82

I think in north yorks junctions are closed as required for races.

ocdupalais

Much still relies on the goodwill and common sense of all concerned. While the legality of the situation remains a grey area for most, these situations are usually sorted by a clear and gracious request from the marshal to kindly wait. Once the first car has stopped, that's usually barrier enough; but cyclists can easily ride around a marshal as it seems to have happened here (along with dents made to the famed Yorkshire Ego).

The dread in the mind of every static marshal as they wave down traffic on every lap of every race: "please stop please stop... Oh god please stop..."

le_patron

OCDuPalais wrote:

The dread in the mind of every static marshal as they wave down traffic on every lap of every race: "please stop please stop... Oh god please stop..."

So true, the marshals are almost powerless in reality. Drivers, horseriders, tractors and cyclists can all choose to totally ignore depending on how grumpy, happy or self-centred they are that day.

It's tough, do you stop the traffic v early to ensure safety (but annoy drivers even more as they can't even see a race), or do you do it a bit later creating more risk ? It's a judgment call on every lap.

When I've marshalled I've tried to explain the situation in terms of it's better and safer for them they wait, but as seen on the video everybody assumes they should be able to exercise their 'rights' whenever possible on the roads on this crowded island. But cyclists v cyclists does look ridiculous...

DeVlaeminck

Bitsurprised they don't have a motorbike marshall physically blocking the junction the other way, I suppose the sign does that job in a way. I don't think e incident is too bad, marshall probably doesn't handle it that well but he's reacting to a situation and probably would be a bit calmer next time can't really be critical. Guy who rides out into the race head on is being an idiot but the actual level of risk is standard for a uk road race.

iPete

Taken from the youtube comments..

Community TM were traffic managing this event. This particlular incident involved a volunteer marshal, working with one of our Team. We operate under a formal Temporary Traffic Regulation Order, which empowers us to formally close the road, in order to see the race safely through Give Way junctions etc. The marshal was acting quite correctly, in that the closure applies to ALL road users. The actions of the guy in blue and white were wholly reckless and endangered himself and the race competitors. The marshal clearly had to shout, as cyclists were ignoring his 1050 x 750cm "Road Closed" sign... The use of the pavement would have been acceptable, in these circumstances, and would have prevented the crazy 'near miss' seen on this video. We endeavour to minimise disruption to all road users at all times and it is a little disappointing that the Sportive riders on this video were not more aware or considerate of the dynamics of an Elite Road Race ? We spoke to the Comissaires after the race, who fully supported the stopping of the Sportive.

adr82

OCDuPalais wrote:

Much still relies on the goodwill and common sense of all concerned.

And the lack of both of these things on the part of most road users is what causes problems like these :?

OCDuPalais wrote:

The dread in the mind of every static marshal as they wave down traffic on every lap of every race: "please stop please stop... Oh god please stop..."

Yes, exactly!

Pross

iPete wrote:

Taken from the youtube comments..

Community TM were traffic managing this event. This particlular incident involved a volunteer marshal, working with one of our Team. We operate under a formal Temporary Traffic Regulation Order, which empowers us to formally close the road, in order to see the race safely through Give Way junctions etc. The marshal was acting quite correctly, in that the closure applies to ALL road users. The actions of the guy in blue and white were wholly reckless and endangered himself and the race competitors. The marshal clearly had to shout, as cyclists were ignoring his 1050 x 750cm "Road Closed" sign... The use of the pavement would have been acceptable, in these circumstances, and would have prevented the crazy 'near miss' seen on this video. We endeavour to minimise disruption to all road users at all times and it is a little disappointing that the Sportive riders on this video were not more aware or considerate of the dynamics of an Elite Road Race ? We spoke to the Comissaires after the race, who fully supported the stopping of the Sportive.

BC ought to have a word with the sportive organisers and they in turn should contact the riders caught on camera - but they won't.

Paul 8v

I'm used to being abused by to$$ers in cars (Usually Land Rovers to be fair) when I'm marshaling, not normally other cyclists!